Electric light unit for use in connection with swimming



g 119%) H. W. HENNHNG, JR 2952@5@3 ELECTRIC LIGHT UNIT FOR USE IN commc'rxom WITH SWIMMING Filed Sept. 24, 1948 5y" MEQM Patented Aug. 29, 1950 Q FF l CE ELEGTRIG UNI'E' FQRLUSE IN GON-- NEGTIQN WITHSaWMMING- HaruhiHennixrg, Jic,,Napervil-leg Ill.

pplicatiom Sentcmher 24,.lcfl t8asenialzNot 51,986

3 Claims. (Cl; 240 -49) Thepresentlinventionrelates. generally to electnicJight-units... Moreparticularly the imzentibn nelatesto. thatltype t unit which. isusedfor. eftecting illumination and. as. its components. or pants comprises adrycell battery, a conventionalr. electric) socket with. an. electric incandescent lamp therein, and a pair of. single lead. flexifil'e electnicl conductors one. of. which extends be,- tween and is. connected to, the. exposed end of the carbon rod. of the battery and one of the con.- taots of. the. socket and the. other of which. extends between, and" is connected to, the zinc shalt of. the battery and the: other. contact. or the socket.

One.- obiect of the. invention is to. provide. an electric'light. unit of this. type which. is adapted, together with atgrounot like. units, to be. worn by t swimmer in connection with. an aquatic ex.- hibition and. operates; when lighted. while; the wearer. swimming, to produce. an ornamental andsattractiveopticalefiect.

Another, obj ectof the. inventionisltoproyitle. an clectricllight unit of the typeandcharacten under consideration which embodies. as. an attachin medium or. instrumentallty. therefor. a. strip of adlhesive. tape, the-central portion ofwhichpartiab la surrounds, andlis adhesively connected'to,. the central. portion oi. the dry cell. battery and the ends of. which are free. in. order that they may be pressed into. adhering relation with any-desired nartlof. the; body of the wearer such, for example, asanoarmor a leg..

Another ob ect of the. invention is. to. provide an electric. light unit of the aforementioned type inwhich. the. lamp carrying, socketextend's trans.-

rersely; and is. spaced at small distance from the I central. portion. of the. dry cell battery and the flexible. electric conductors are, substantially the same in. length and are connected to, opposite endsof'thebattery to. the. end that when the bat?- tery is. positioned. crosswise of the. direction. of swimof. the. wearer they. permitthe lamp carry.- ing; socket. to swing laterally into a. trailing, positioirwherein-it ofiersminimumrresistance to passame: of the: unit through: the Water and hence does not impede swimming on the pact. of, the wearer regardless; of: whether: theawearer: is: swimming: a. forward orr rearward: direction,

A further object of the invention is to provide am electric light unit of the last mentioned character in which thedry cell battery and the flexible electric conductors are provided with coatings of pliable; water resistant insulatin'g'material; suclt as para-flin, order to'prevent short 2:" cincuiting. of. the. unitin. connection with, underwater. usethereof.

Anstilltfurther; object of the, intention is to pme videan electric light. unit which eliectivelyand cfliciently fiilfills its intended purpose, may be produced at a. comparatinely low cost. and. oocupiesbut. a small amountof space.

Other objectsof the. invention and: the-,- various adcantages and characteristics of the. present light, unitwill be annarent from a consideration or thefollowing detailed description;

The, invention consists: inthe: several: novel features which are hereinar-ten set) fontlr and; are more: particularly defined byclaims at theconclusionhereofl,

The inmention consists the senerah novel features which. are hereinafter set. forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the con;- clusion hereof.

In. the drawing which accompanies and: forms a part of this.- speoificationor disclosure andl in which; like numerals 01% reference denote. (101F156? spending. parts throughout, the several views:

E'igune l is.- a oerspective View or arr electric lightnnit. embodying the. invention;

Eigures 2; is a. side View, partlyside eleyati'on and partly in section} illustrating: the construc, tionancldesienof. the various par-ts ofitherunit;

Figure 3-is anendvlew of the: unit illustrating the; manner which; the flexible: electric: conductorswhich leadzto opposite endsior. the, battery ermit the: lamp carrying: socket to. swing: laterall- 15 into a: trailing-position wherein it. extend'se'to one side or the: other of the battery; depending upon whether the wearer le -swimming: forwards or rearwar-ds and;

Figure 4' is a fragmentary front: view or a m n We r n a grou of unitsiemboclyin the mventiom The. electric: light unit: which is shown in. the drawing. constitutes: the; preferred form: or embodiment of the; intention. It; is. adapted; as hereinafter described more; in detailg. to be: worn ore the. body, legs or: arms. of. a, swimmer while the latter: is: engaged; swimming: operations and flznctions; when: illuminated: to produce. an attractive optical; efiect. As its: parts or components the unit: comprises a. dry. cell: battery 51a strip of. tape 61; an electric socket I; an. incandescent lampct' andapairot'condnctorszdandi to. 131183: to. its panticuiar construction. or' design the unit: isr capable of being immersed in: the: water while in an illumin'ated condition;

The battery 5 is of conventional or standard construction: and consists of a cylindrical zinc 3 shell I I and a carbon rod I 2. Preferably the battery is in the form of a small sized flash-light battery. The zinc shell II has one end thereof open and consists of a cylindrical side wall and a circular end wall. The carbon rod I2 is disposed centrally within the shell and is arranged so that one end thereof projects through the open end of the shell. The space between therod and the shell is filled with a depolarizing agent and an exciting compound, as well understood in the art. The cylindrical side wall of the shell is surrounded by a cardboard tube I3 for protective purposes. It is contemplated that in connection with use of the unit the dry cell battery 5 will be worn by the wearer in such a position that it extends crosswise of direction of swim. For

example, if the unit is worn on the leg, as shownv in Figure 4 of the drawing, the battery will be positioned so that it extends transversely of the leg.

The strip (5 of adhesive tape serves as a medium or instrumentality for attaching the unit to the wearer. It is preferably in the form of a length of surgical tape of the type that comprises a fabric backing and a coating of permanently tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive on the under or bottom face of the fabric base, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 the central portion of the strip 6 is applied to the central portion of the cardboard tube I3 so that it extends more than half way therearound. The adhesive coating of the strip serves to hold the central portion of the strip in adhering relation with the central portion of the cardboard tube E3. The ends of the strip 6 are bent or folded so as to extend outwards in opposite directions and form, in effect, ;I

tabs which are adapted to be pressed into adhesively connected relation with any exposed part of the body, l gs or arms of the wearer of the unit. It is contemplated that the strip 5 of adhesive tape will form a more or less permanent part of the unit. In attaching the unit the dry cell battery 5 is first placed against the desired exposed part of the wearers body, legs or arms and then the tab forming ends of the adhesive strip 6 are pressed inwards so as to cause the adhesive coating thereon to adhere to the wearers skin. When the ends of the strip 6 are pressed firmly in place the strip serves securely but releasably to hold the unit in place.

The electric socket l is of the type that is used in connection with Christmas tree lights. It consists of a cup shaped member I l of insulating material, an internally threaded tubular member l5, and a pair of contacts l6 and H. The

cup shaped member I4 consists of a continuous side wall and a centrally apertured bottom wall and is open at its outer end. The internally threaded tubular member !5 is fixedly secured within the continuous side wall of the cup shaped member l4 and is provided at its inner end with the contact It. The, other contact, i. e., the contact I1, is mounted on the bottom wall of the cup shaped member 22 in spaced relation with the contact I6. As shown in the drawing the electric socket 5 extends transversely of the z 5 and also to hold the socket in its proper operative position with respect to the battery.

The incandescent lamp 8 is of the type that is used in a flashlight and consists of a bulb I8 and a plug I9 at one end of the bulb. The bulb houses a filament 20 and is suitably connected to one end of the plug. The plug has a contact 2! at its outer end and is surrounded by an externally threaded jacket 22 whereby it may be secured in connected relation with the electric .socket I. The contact 2| is connected to one end of the filament Zil and is adapted when the lamp is connected to the socket to engage the contact IT. The externally threaded jacket is formed of any suitable electric conducting material. It is connected to the other end of the filament and when the lamp is connected to the socket contacts the internally threaded tubular member I5 of the socket.

The conductors 9 and H! are flexible but somewhat stiiT. Each consists of a single wire and a tubular sheath therefor. As best shown in Figures 1 and 2 the conductors 9 and Ill are the same in length and the conductor 9 has one end thereof soldered or otherwise fixedly secured to the usual metal cap'on the outer or exposed end of the carbon rod I2 of the dry cell battery 5. The other end of the conductor 9 leads through the aperture in the bottom wall of the cup shaped member I4 of the socket l and is soldered to the contact I! which, as hereinbefore pointed out, engages the contact 2| on the outer end of the lamp plug when the lamp is in connected relation with the socket I. The conductor It has one end thereof soldered or otherwise fixedly se cured to the circular end wall of the zinc shell I I of the battery 5. The other end of the conductor l0 leads through the aperture in the bottom wall of the cup shaped member M of the socket and is soldered to the contact IE on the inner end of the internally threaded tubular member l5 of the socket, The conductors 9 and H) are bent inwards around the ends of the battery 5 and then are inclined toward one another so as to hold the socket I in spaced or centered relation with the battery. They are suificiently flexible to permit the lamp carrying socket to swing laterally to one side or the other of the battery as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. Normally the conductors will hold the lamp carrying socket in the position shown in full lines in Figure 3. When the unit is in use in connection with a swimming op eration the conductors, due to their inherent flexibility or resiliency, permit the lamp carry ing socket to swing laterally in a trailing position adjacent the flesh of the wearer, depending upon the direction in which the wearer of the unit is swimming. If the wearer of the unit is swimming forwards the lamp carrying socket swings rear.-

jwards into a position wherein it is substantially arc of substantially where it is again in trailing position so far as direction of swim is concerned.

In order to prevent short circuiting of the unit when it is under water in connection with use thereof the battery 5 and the conductors 9 and .ID are provided with coatings of any suitable pliable water repellant insulating material such as paraffin. The coatings are preferably applied before mounting of the attaching strip 6 into place and by immersin the battery and conductors in a body of melted parafiin or other material and then withdrawing the battery and conductors and permitting the coatings thereon to dry.

When it is desired to use the unit as indicated the battery is placed against the wearers skin and is fastened in place by pressing the ends of the strip 5 of adhesive tape into adhering relation with the wearers skin. As heretofore indicated the battery is preferably positioned so that it extends in a crosswise direction. When the unit is in place the lamp carrying socket 1 extends outwards at right angles to the ends of the strip 6 as shown in full lines in Figure 3. The unit is illuminated by securing the lamp 3 fully into the socket i. In the event it is desired to turn out the lamp it is only necessary to loosen the lamp in the socket to such an extent as to move or shift the contact 2i out of engagement with the contact 11. When the unit is immersed in the water the lamp carrying socket, due to the action of the conductors 9 and I0, swings laterally forwards or backwards with respect to the battery, depending upon the direction in which the wearer is swimming.

The herein described electric light unit is essentially simple in design and may be constructed at a comparatively low cost. It effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is capable of being applied and removed with facility.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an electric light unit adapted to be worn by a swimmer in connection with swimming and comprising a conventional unenclosed small sized flash-light variety dry cell battery adapted to be placed lengthwise against a part of the swimmer and embodying a metallic cup shaped shell and a rod disposed centrally within the shell and having one end thereof located adjacent the open end of said shell, a strip of flexible tape provided on its inner surface with a coatin of pressure sensitive permanently tacky adhesive and having the central portion thereof extending part way around, and adhesively connected to, the battery and its ends free and adapted to be adhesively connected to said part of the swimmer, a lamp carrying socket positioned adjacent the battery and embodying a pair of contacts, and a pair of single lead conductors having certain ends thereof connected to the contacts of the socket and their other ends connected directly to the shell and said one end of the rod, said conductors being sufficiently long and flexible to support the socket so that it is capable of swinging relatively to the battery during use of the unit.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an electric light unit adapted to be worn by a swimmer in connection with swimming and comprising a conventional unenclosed small size flash-light variety dry cell battery adapted to be placed lengthwise against a part of the swimmer and embodying a metallic cup-shaped shell and a rod disposed centrally within the shell and having one end thereof positioned adjacent the open end of said shell, a strip of flexible adhesive tape provided on its inner surface with a coating of pressure sensitive, permanently tacky adhesive and having the central portion thereof extending part way around, and adhesively connected to, the central portion of the battery and its ends free and adapted to be adhesively connected to said part of the swimmer, a lamp carrying socket extending transversely of the battery, positioned a small distance outwards of the central portion of said battery and provided with a pair of con tacts, and a pair of substantially equal length, flexible, single lead conductors having certain ends thereof connected to the contacts of the socket and their other ends connected directly and respectively to the end wall of the battery shell and said one end of the rod, said conductors being sufficiently long and flexible to support the socket so that it is capable of swingin circumferentially with respect to the battery during use of the unit.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an electric light unit adapted to be worn by a swimmer in connection with swimming and comprising a conventional unenclosed small sized flash-light variety dry cell battery adapted to be placed lengthwise against a part of the swimmer and embodying a metallic cup-shaped shell with a cardboard tube therearound and a rod disposed centrally within the shell and having one end thereof disposed adjacent the open end of the shell, a strip of flexible tape provided on its inner surface with a coating of pressure sensitive, permanently tacky adhesive and having the central portion thereof extending part way around, and adhesively connected to, the central portion of the battery and its ends free and adapted to be adhesively connected to said part of the swimmer, a lamp carrying socket extending transversely of the battery, positioned a small distance outwards of the central portion of said battery and provided with a pair of contacts, a pair of substantially equal length, flexible, single lead conductors having certain ends thereof connected to the contacts of the socket and their other ends connected directly and respectively to the end wall of the battery shell and said one end of the rod, and serving to support the socket so that it is capable of swinging circumferentially with respect to the battery during use of the unit, a coating of pliable, water resistant, insulating material completely encasing and forming a part of said battery, and coatings of like material around said conductors.

HAROLD W. HENNING, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,201,350 Royce Oct. 17, 1916 1,308,809 Reece July 8, 1919 2,303,988 Christensen Dec. 1, 1942 2,320,222 Crupi May 25, 1943 2,387,144 Gey Oct. 16, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 9,023 Great Britain 1901 

